France. Medal - Souvenir of the first national celebrations of the Exhibition, June 30, 1878 (Souvenir de la première fête nationale de l'Exposition, le 30 juin 1878), brass 28 mm, weight 8,80 g, Condition XF+, nice patina
The 1878 Universal Exposition was the first permitted national holiday since the defeat of Napoleon III in 1871 and the restoration of power by the Conservatives. Those celebrating the 1878 Universal Exposition were also announcing the arrival of the Third Republic, which was proclaimed in France a few months later. Chroniclers noted the enthusiasm of that day, Sunday, June 30, when the tricolor flag triumphed in the streets of Paris. According to the Goncourts, even the hearses carrying the dead to the cemetery were decorated with flags.
